Everyone who takes the time to exercise, eat healthy or strives for that active lifestyle does so for a reason. Part of keeping motivated and on top of achieving personal fitness goals is to breakdown the real reason as to why you’re doing it. Is it to look good in those new jeans you bought? Is it because you like the feeling you get when you finish a tough workout? Or is it to simply to look after your body and live a healthy, active lifestyle? We caught up with AOC member Ben Yoffa this week to chat about the real reason why he rides. Ben has an inspiring story and was willing to share it to spread his message and to support others in finding their reason to exercise. After all, we all have one, its just a matter of finding it and using to inspire and motivate.

Ben Yoffa – The story of why?

1 in 3 people are affected by cancer but perhaps more importantly, with the right funding and support, 1 in 3 cancers are currently curable.

I never knew this until I recently watched a very near and dear friend, Cameron Perrett complete the Tour de Cure. A truly massive effort to ride nearly 1400kms from Adelaide to Melbourne. I had watched Cam’s weight battles all my life, a very active young man trapped in a large body. The way he was heading led a colleague to tell him bluntly one day, “you’re at the highest risk of cancer with the weight you’re carrying.” Cam has a young family and knew he needed to do something to make sure he was there to see his children grow up. He underwent some pretty radical surgery to have a large portion of his stomach removed. He went from 125kg’s to at the completion of his ride, 78kg. All this within 12 months of the surgery. In no way did I see myself on a path to checking out early, but after recent foot surgery I had stopped running, put on 15kg and had little motivation to make a change. I was content that this was the new me.

After following Cam’s ride, meeting and hearing from many of the riders (even got to meet retired professional cyclist Jens Voight!) was the fact that all rode for many reasons, many heartbreaking. The message that was told over and over again was 1 in 3 people are affected, this would just not leave me.

Two of my family members have recently been touched by cancer. Both are doing fine, we got lucky. I ride for them, I ride to raise the necessary funds needed for research to fight the statistics. I ride so my hopefully future children will have a fit, healthy, happy Dad. I will hopefully be riding from Brisbane to Sydney on next year’s Tour de Cure. This is the start of what will be my biggest challenge. I have not been on a bike since a teenager, let alone a road bike. With the amazing support of Sam and the team at Art of Cycling I hope to ride to cure cancer.

The team here at the Art of Cycling would like to thank Ben for sharing his story and also wish him all the best with raising awareness and the his journey to complete the Tour de Cure. We will keep you posted on his journey!